1009pscantatahcd

REVIEWS

RESOLUTION AUDIO CANTATA CD PLAYER/STREAMER £ 5 , 9 9 5

RESOLUTIOI CD PLAYER/S.

M ER £ 5 , 9 9 5

•••:::•:.

• • • •'• • ••••

« •••• •••• • •

Choice

Point of LüU

reference The CD player we have used as reference for nine years is being replaced by this CD/streamer 'music centre' an6 Jason Kennedy is gripped esolution Audio's Opus 21 has been a reference CD player for us since it's introduction at the turn of the century. This diminutive two-box unit gives more detail, dynamics and sheer musicality than most and we will be very sad to see it go. Or, at least, we will be, if we can't get our hands on its replacement the Cantata Music Centre. Because not only does this new player look incredible, it also manages to up the sonic ante to an unprecedented 72

Choice SEPTEMBER 2010

degree. And not just for CDs, plug your laptop in or even your home network and it can do remarkable things for music stored on a PC or NAS drive. Hence the Music Centre soubriquet, this is not just a disc'renderer' with an asynchronous DAC that can do for digitally stored media what the Opus 21 did for CD.

Permanent waves The Cantata came about because Resolution's Jeff Kalt wanted to

DETAILS PRODUCT: Resolution Audio Cantata CD player/ streamer ORIGIN: USA TYPE: CD player/ USB DAC/streamer WEIGHT: 6kg DIMENSIONS: (WxHxD) 500x430x230mm FEATURES: • Computer inputs: USB, Ethernet •Linear display • Burr-Brown DACs •Cantata link bus system DISTRIBUTOR: Redline TELEPHONE: 01268 858222

build an iTunes client into the XS (extra sources) box that forms part of the Opus 21 series. He ended up being frustrated by the limitations of air tunes - specifically its 16-bit/44.1kHz maximum resolution, so he started working on a streamer, CD player and USB DAC that turned into the Cantata. While this unit retains the same 1704 multibit ladder DAC as the Opus 21 and the same basic circuit design, it doesn't have many other similarities to its predecessor.

The most obvious change is the casework, which is both radical and beautiful. Machined from solid aluminium, it is designed to offer a significant improvement in resonance control over the sheet metal Opus 21, while also offering a large heatsink for the components within the player.

Jeff actually worked with the Neal Feay Company to come up with what he describes as "an aesthetic that is softer, perhaps more organic, than traditional machined designs." The case is one reason why the Cantata is 50 per cent more expensive than its

predecessor, but the other companies that use metalwork from this source all charge significantly more -just look up Constellation Audio and you'll get the picture.

The significant technology here is the degree of isolation that has been achieved inside this machine. Jeff has effectively floated the DAC, so that it only grounds to the amplifier and is magnetically isolated from the power supply, internal transport, display and all of the digital sources (including USB and the host computer). He has also developed his own asynchronous USB software for connecting computers to the DAC. It works by pulling the signal from the computer rather than the other way around, so the DAC controls the flow of data and provides clocking with its own precision clock. This makes USB a potentially better conduit than S/PDIF because jitter can be virtually eliminated by the interface.

The Cantata's output connections no longer feature a DIN socket, but come in single-ended XLR and RCA flavours, both of which are volume-

"If you want to hear how much effort was put into your favourite albums, then make a date with the Cantata." controllable. So you can hook this unit straight to a power amp or active speaker system and use the onboard analogue volume control.

Alternatively if you want to use a preamp or integrated amp, then just set the level to 100 and bypass the attenuator.

Inputs are really what the Cantata is about and why it is dubbed a Music Centre. You can hook up external sources via S/PDIF in three flavours, USB and Ethernet which means that any source with a digital output can be accommodated.

Resolution Audio also makes a device called the Pont Neuf, that converts USB to Ethernet and gives you much more range than USB, which Resolution recommends keeping to a maximum of two metres.

TALKING POINT RESOLUTION AUDIO developed the Pont Neuf or new bridge in order to allow music to be streamed at USB quality over longer lengths than the five-metre maximum that USB cables can be effectively used.

Unlike standard USB to Ethernet converters, the Pont Neuf will stream the output of software players such as iTunes. This signal can be sent wired orwirelesslytothe Cantata where it can be converted.

The alternative is toputyourmusic on a NAS drive and connect it directly to the Cantata.

This route has the advantage that the PC/Mac does not have to be powered up for the music to be available.

The transport used is a Sony device that slot-loads on the right hand side of the player. It's well hidden, but not hard to find. Jeff did speculate about having the slot emit a white light, but changed his mind (more's the pity). It's a high-speed drive that was chosen for reasons Jeff explains in our interview on the next page, but it's not totally silent - which can be an issue when listening to quiet material late at night. The dotmatrix display is particularly nice in the context of the drilled-out fascia, it tells you the sample rate of incoming signals unless it's spinning a disc, in which case track time and number are shown. It can be dimmed or extinguished, but looks best at its lowest brightness.

Tactile The quality of machining on this casework has to be seen and fondled to be fully appreciated, it is something else. Whether you like the styling is obviously a matter of taste, but in our view it makes a refreshing change to the ubiquitous cooling fins found on every other high-end SEPTEMBER 2010

Choice

73

REVIEWS

RESOLUTION AUDIO CANTATA CD PLAYER/STREAMER £ 5 , 9 9 5

RESOLUTIOI CD PLAYER/S.

M ER £ 5 , 9 9 5

•••:::•:.

• • • •'• • ••••

« •••• •••• • •

Choice

Point of LüU

reference The CD player we have used as reference for nine years is being replaced by this CD/streamer 'music centre' an6 Jason Kennedy is gripped esolution Audio's Opus 21 has been a reference CD player for us since it's introduction at the turn of the century. This diminutive two-box unit gives more detail, dynamics and sheer musicality than most and we will be very sad to see it go. Or, at least, we will be, if we can't get our hands on its replacement the Cantata Music Centre. Because not only does this new player look incredible, it also manages to up the sonic ante to an unprecedented 72

Choice SEPTEMBER 2010

degree. And not just for CDs, plug your laptop in or even your home network and it can do remarkable things for music stored on a PC or NAS drive. Hence the Music Centre soubriquet, this is not just a disc'renderer' with an asynchronous DAC that can do for digitally stored media what the Opus 21 did for CD.

Permanent waves The Cantata came about because Resolution's Jeff Kalt wanted to

DETAILS PRODUCT: Resolution Audio Cantata CD player/ streamer ORIGIN: USA TYPE: CD player/ USB DAC/streamer WEIGHT: 6kg DIMENSIONS: (WxHxD) 500x430x230mm FEATURES: • Computer inputs: USB, Ethernet •Linear display • Burr-Brown DACs •Cantata link bus system DISTRIBUTOR: Redline TELEPHONE: 01268 858222

build an iTunes client into the XS (extra sources) box that forms part of the Opus 21 series. He ended up being frustrated by the limitations of air tunes - specifically its 16-bit/44.1kHz maximum resolution, so he started working on a streamer, CD player and USB DAC that turned into the Cantata. While this unit retains the same 1704 multibit ladder DAC as the Opus 21 and the same basic circuit design, it doesn't have many other similarities to its predecessor.

The most obvious change is the casework, which is both radical and beautiful. Machined from solid aluminium, it is designed to offer a significant improvement in resonance control over the sheet metal Opus 21, while also offering a large heatsink for the components within the player.

Jeff actually worked with the Neal Feay Company to come up with what he describes as "an aesthetic that is softer, perhaps more organic, than traditional machined designs." The case is one reason why the Cantata is 50 per cent more expensive than its

predecessor, but the other companies that use metalwork from this source all charge significantly more -just look up Constellation Audio and you'll get the picture.

The significant technology here is the degree of isolation that has been achieved inside this machine. Jeff has effectively floated the DAC, so that it only grounds to the amplifier and is magnetically isolated from the power supply, internal transport, display and all of the digital sources (including USB and the host computer). He has also developed his own asynchronous USB software for connecting computers to the DAC. It works by pulling the signal from the computer rather than the other way around, so the DAC controls the flow of data and provides clocking with its own precision clock. This makes USB a potentially better conduit than S/PDIF because jitter can be virtually eliminated by the interface.

The Cantata's output connections no longer feature a DIN socket, but come in single-ended XLR and RCA flavours, both of which are volume-

"If you want to hear how much effort was put into your favourite albums, then make a date with the Cantata." controllable. So you can hook this unit straight to a power amp or active speaker system and use the onboard analogue volume control.

Alternatively if you want to use a preamp or integrated amp, then just set the level to 100 and bypass the attenuator.

Inputs are really what the Cantata is about and why it is dubbed a Music Centre. You can hook up external sources via S/PDIF in three flavours, USB and Ethernet which means that any source with a digital output can be accommodated.

Resolution Audio also makes a device called the Pont Neuf, that converts USB to Ethernet and gives you much more range than USB, which Resolution recommends keeping to a maximum of two metres.

TALKING POINT RESOLUTION AUDIO developed the Pont Neuf or new bridge in order to allow music to be streamed at USB quality over longer lengths than the five-metre maximum that USB cables can be effectively used.

Unlike standard USB to Ethernet converters, the Pont Neuf will stream the output of software players such as iTunes. This signal can be sent wired orwirelesslytothe Cantata where it can be converted.

The alternative is toputyourmusic on a NAS drive and connect it directly to the Cantata.

This route has the advantage that the PC/Mac does not have to be powered up for the music to be available.

The transport used is a Sony device that slot-loads on the right hand side of the player. It's well hidden, but not hard to find. Jeff did speculate about having the slot emit a white light, but changed his mind (more's the pity). It's a high-speed drive that was chosen for reasons Jeff explains in our interview on the next page, but it's not totally silent - which can be an issue when listening to quiet material late at night. The dotmatrix display is particularly nice in the context of the drilled-out fascia, it tells you the sample rate of incoming signals unless it's spinning a disc, in which case track time and number are shown. It can be dimmed or extinguished, but looks best at its lowest brightness.

Tactile The quality of machining on this casework has to be seen and fondled to be fully appreciated, it is something else. Whether you like the styling is obviously a matter of taste, but in our view it makes a refreshing change to the ubiquitous cooling fins found on every other high-end SEPTEMBER 2010

Choice

73

DC\/IC\AIC K C V I C V V D

RESOLUTION AUDIO CANTATA CD PLAYER/STREAMER £ 5 , 9 9 5

RESOLUTION AUDIO CANTATA CD PLAYER/STREAMER £ 5 , 9 9 5

Q&A...

HIDDEN TECH

CONNECTIONS

RESOLUTION AUDIO'S FOUNDER AND DESIGNER JEFF KALT TALKS ABOUT THE CANTATA

A*

•

tion

H FC: This player produces more of the envelope, more of each note's decay than any we've heard, how did you achieve this? / f t There are a number of refinements in the design compared to the Opus 21 circuit, but I believe the largest advance isdue to the complete electrical isolation of the converter circuit from the rest of the product.

Theonlygroundconnectionistothe amplifier. This eliminates noise not only from a computer, attached via USB, but also the internaltransport, display circuit, etc. In addition, we also miniaturise the physical layout as much as possible, using surface-mount components, multi-layer PCBs and double-sided assembly.

There is no fixed level output, does maximising volume remove the need for this?

When the volume is set to maximum (100), there is an internal relay that bypasses the volume control circuit.

We recommend this setting when usingapreamp or integrated amplifier.

Why is there is a low level whine when playing discs that's audible with quiet music?

In selecting the CD transport, there are several criteria and trade-offs involved. We found the Sony to be the best transport at retrieving bitaccurate data streams on everything from CD-Rs, scratched discs, and copy-protected discs. Part of the transport's performance is based on its high spin-rate.

You mentioned that USB cables should be kept to no more than two metres. Why is this?

The USB specification limits cable length to five metres, but we recommend no more than two metres for audio. The Cantata uses asynchronous-mode USB, which locates the clock at the D/A converter and eliminates upstream jitter.

However, cables still matter, including USB cables! We also offer the Pont Neuf, which uses your home network as a USB extension via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

MfiCMce SEPTEMBER 2010

REVIEWS

O

O © O

Digital board with USB and ethernet ports

£ % Cable for slot-loading optical drive

É \

£ V

Machined casework which isa rare addition in modern hi-fi

f \

# k

White LED display matrix

Audio board with BurrBrown DACs

Torodial transformers used in power supply

component. It is a solid, but compact piece that's only 230 millimetres deep and fifty millimetres high. This makes it easy to accommodate, but not, perhaps, as beefy as one might hope for the money. This, however, has always been RÄs approach, keep the metalwork and the signal path to the minimum and you will get better sound, which is clearly the case here.

The remote is a basic plastic affair, but it's a dedicated device that allows input selection, track select and volume control in an ergonomie if relatively dull fashion. More important is that it has an eject button, something sorely missed on the Opus 21.

It doesn't have a great deal of competition, but the most obvious comes from Nairn, whose NaimUniti and UnitiQute perform in a very similar way - both are also wireless devices. For his part Jeff doesn't like mixing wireless receivers with audio electronics and the sound quality he achieves would seem to make a good case for this argument. That said the Cantata is more expensive than either Nairn streamer, so it has its

work cut out in the real world.

The alternative, of course, is to go for a standalone streamer and player but we haven't heard a player of this standard for less money let alone one with a USB DAC.

Paradigm shift That big slab of aluminium takes a while to get up to temperature and likewise, the sound takes a while to reach full formation. But when it does there is no going back. We have never heard a digital source that can deliver as much of the sonic envelope as the Cantata. It reveals all the decay of each note or sound and provides an incredibly threedimensional picture of the music.

This really is one of those components where you have to start going through your music collection to hear what else is on each disc, something that happens very rarely when you've tried as many top-notch CD players as we have.

There are a few very detailed players around, such as the Moon 750D and Boulder 1021, but neither of these compel you to play as many www.hifichoice.co.uk

Cantata link for hook-up toforthcomingCantata toforthcomingCantata amplifier

# *t £ Wß *&

Ethernet connection for usewith UPnPdevices usewith UPnPdevices and resolution Pont Neuf

of your discs as you can in quite the same way as the Cantata. The more familiar an album, the more you appreciate just what it's pulling out of the mix, the end of Genesis' Supper's Ready for instance, revealed layers that have never been hinted at by previous machines. This is nothing short of astonishing, given that we've heard the SACD layer plenty of times before and the Cantata is finding even more on the CD layer. That particular revelation was assisted in no small way by a Mark Levinson No.326S preamp, which made quite a useful contribution, but didn't stay long enough (it's coming back though, see next month's HFQ. Fortunately, the full envelope effect continued after it had gone.

Despite coming from the same mind and DAC chip as the Opus 21, the only similarity between these two players is in their ability to involve you in the music. This isn't quite in Rega Isis territory, but it's unfeasibly gratifying for both head and heart. Zappa's Sleep Dirt album

4 % USB-typeB socket for £% %r W asynchronous DAC

fffc RCA phono singleO V 7 ended analogue RCA phono singleended analogue outputs

isn't the cleanest of recordings, but there is a lot more grunt, dynamics and timbre to be found on it that is usually apparent thanks to the extra resolution. The title track is a guitar duet with Zappa on an odd sounding instrument that's usually rather clattery but it's not clear why, the Cantata showed that this is because of the way that echo was used in the recording. The considerably slicker Love Hater by Outkast, has monster bass that has obviously been laboured over to give it such a distinctive shape and colour and this ability to hear right into the character of each part of the sound (in a way that allows the musical flow to grip you) is very rare.

Given the effort that Resolution Audio has gone to on the USB input, we also gave that a spin using an Apple Macbook running iTunes with the output set to 16-bit/44.1kHz. The result is a bit warmer and slighty softer than with CD, the disc giving greater focus from a drier balance but not necessarily bettering it in all respects. With a lot of

TECH LABS RESULTS AT A GLANCE Excellent Above average Average Below average Poor OUTPUT LEVEL: The left and right channels are matched within millivolts. Slightly higherthe usual, butwith no cause for concern

www.hifichoice.co.uk

THD+N: 0.003 per cent means that distortion is slightlyworse than average, but still very commendable

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz-20kHzis a fair result. The curve is prettyflat and things only begintotakeadive beyond 10kHz

CROSSTALK: 91.2 dB isa measurementthat cannot be faulted, especiallywhenthe compbdnternal construction is factored in

DYNAMIC RANGE: 95.0dBisonly slightly below CD's theoretical limit.

AgoodDAC amongallthat IThardware

g % OneoftwoXLR ^r

audo

# k AES/EBUinput

balanced outputs

\ r

material the USB route is very appealing and musical, it delivers the same quality of timing as the disc and virtually as much detail. This is the best result we've achieved with this approach and quite an ear opener to the possibilities of digital files.

HOW IT COMPARES THERE ARE NOT many products that offer the same feature count that the Cantata Music Centre does, but there are plenty of CD players at and above this price point to consider.

A particular favourite is Rega's Isis, which is also £6,000, yet offers a wholly different perspective on the music. The Cantata doesn't have quite that degree of pure musicality, but distracts you in a different way by exposing more of the character of each instrument, voice and recording technique which is just as compelling.

The nearest direct competitor overall, is Nairn's HDX, which adds a number of features to those offered here, includinga touch screen display and onboard hard drive.

It wins hands down on features, but does not compete with the outright resolving powers of the Cantata.

Silver lining In case it isn't abundantly clear by now, we are pretty much smitten with the Cantata Music Centre. It reveals so much more of the music that we have to wonder how it is achieved. Jeff attempts to answer that question in the Q&A opposite, but in an earlier exchange put it more simply "I suppose I have the worldwide slowdown to thank for giving me the space for design work."

The fact that it looks so good and can bring such high standards to music stored on a hard drive is equally relevant for the modern audio enthusiast. If you really want to hear just how much effort was put into making your favourite albums such an unforgettable experience than make a date with the Cantata. •

Choice OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY

•

• • • •

VALUE FOR MONEY

•

• • • •

BUILD QUALITY

•

• • * •

SPECIFICATIONS

•

• • • •

LIKE: Hearingso much more music, design, ergonomics, display and tremendous flexibility DISLIKE: Transport whine is an issue WESAY:Revealingtoa degree that sets it apart from the competition atway above its price point

OVERALL *

•

*

*

*

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 0 hWChotee

75

DC\/IC\AIC K C V I C V V D

RESOLUTION AUDIO CANTATA CD PLAYER/STREAMER £ 5 , 9 9 5

RESOLUTION AUDIO CANTATA CD PLAYER/STREAMER £ 5 , 9 9 5

Q&A...

HIDDEN TECH

CONNECTIONS

RESOLUTION AUDIO'S FOUNDER AND DESIGNER JEFF KALT TALKS ABOUT THE CANTATA

A*

•

tion

H FC: This player produces more of the envelope, more of each note's decay than any we've heard, how did you achieve this? / f t There are a number of refinements in the design compared to the Opus 21 circuit, but I believe the largest advance isdue to the complete electrical isolation of the converter circuit from the rest of the product.

Theonlygroundconnectionistothe amplifier. This eliminates noise not only from a computer, attached via USB, but also the internaltransport, display circuit, etc. In addition, we also miniaturise the physical layout as much as possible, using surface-mount components, multi-layer PCBs and double-sided assembly.

There is no fixed level output, does maximising volume remove the need for this?

When the volume is set to maximum (100), there is an internal relay that bypasses the volume control circuit.

We recommend this setting when usingapreamp or integrated amplifier.

Why is there is a low level whine when playing discs that's audible with quiet music?

In selecting the CD transport, there are several criteria and trade-offs involved. We found the Sony to be the best transport at retrieving bitaccurate data streams on everything from CD-Rs, scratched discs, and copy-protected discs. Part of the transport's performance is based on its high spin-rate.

You mentioned that USB cables should be kept to no more than two metres. Why is this?

The USB specification limits cable length to five metres, but we recommend no more than two metres for audio. The Cantata uses asynchronous-mode USB, which locates the clock at the D/A converter and eliminates upstream jitter.

However, cables still matter, including USB cables! We also offer the Pont Neuf, which uses your home network as a USB extension via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

MfiCMce SEPTEMBER 2010

REVIEWS

O

O © O

Digital board with USB and ethernet ports

£ % Cable for slot-loading optical drive

É \

£ V

Machined casework which isa rare addition in modern hi-fi

f \

# k

White LED display matrix

Audio board with BurrBrown DACs

Torodial transformers used in power supply

component. It is a solid, but compact piece that's only 230 millimetres deep and fifty millimetres high. This makes it easy to accommodate, but not, perhaps, as beefy as one might hope for the money. This, however, has always been RÄs approach, keep the metalwork and the signal path to the minimum and you will get better sound, which is clearly the case here.

The remote is a basic plastic affair, but it's a dedicated device that allows input selection, track select and volume control in an ergonomie if relatively dull fashion. More important is that it has an eject button, something sorely missed on the Opus 21.

It doesn't have a great deal of competition, but the most obvious comes from Nairn, whose NaimUniti and UnitiQute perform in a very similar way - both are also wireless devices. For his part Jeff doesn't like mixing wireless receivers with audio electronics and the sound quality he achieves would seem to make a good case for this argument. That said the Cantata is more expensive than either Nairn streamer, so it has its

work cut out in the real world.

The alternative, of course, is to go for a standalone streamer and player but we haven't heard a player of this standard for less money let alone one with a USB DAC.

Paradigm shift That big slab of aluminium takes a while to get up to temperature and likewise, the sound takes a while to reach full formation. But when it does there is no going back. We have never heard a digital source that can deliver as much of the sonic envelope as the Cantata. It reveals all the decay of each note or sound and provides an incredibly threedimensional picture of the music.

This really is one of those components where you have to start going through your music collection to hear what else is on each disc, something that happens very rarely when you've tried as many top-notch CD players as we have.

There are a few very detailed players around, such as the Moon 750D and Boulder 1021, but neither of these compel you to play as many www.hifichoice.co.uk

Cantata link for hook-up toforthcomingCantata toforthcomingCantata amplifier

# *t £ Wß *&

Ethernet connection for usewith UPnPdevices usewith UPnPdevices and resolution Pont Neuf

of your discs as you can in quite the same way as the Cantata. The more familiar an album, the more you appreciate just what it's pulling out of the mix, the end of Genesis' Supper's Ready for instance, revealed layers that have never been hinted at by previous machines. This is nothing short of astonishing, given that we've heard the SACD layer plenty of times before and the Cantata is finding even more on the CD layer. That particular revelation was assisted in no small way by a Mark Levinson No.326S preamp, which made quite a useful contribution, but didn't stay long enough (it's coming back though, see next month's HFQ. Fortunately, the full envelope effect continued after it had gone.

Despite coming from the same mind and DAC chip as the Opus 21, the only similarity between these two players is in their ability to involve you in the music. This isn't quite in Rega Isis territory, but it's unfeasibly gratifying for both head and heart. Zappa's Sleep Dirt album

4 % USB-typeB socket for £% %r W asynchronous DAC

fffc RCA phono singleO V 7 ended analogue RCA phono singleended analogue outputs

isn't the cleanest of recordings, but there is a lot more grunt, dynamics and timbre to be found on it that is usually apparent thanks to the extra resolution. The title track is a guitar duet with Zappa on an odd sounding instrument that's usually rather clattery but it's not clear why, the Cantata showed that this is because of the way that echo was used in the recording. The considerably slicker Love Hater by Outkast, has monster bass that has obviously been laboured over to give it such a distinctive shape and colour and this ability to hear right into the character of each part of the sound (in a way that allows the musical flow to grip you) is very rare.

Given the effort that Resolution Audio has gone to on the USB input, we also gave that a spin using an Apple Macbook running iTunes with the output set to 16-bit/44.1kHz. The result is a bit warmer and slighty softer than with CD, the disc giving greater focus from a drier balance but not necessarily bettering it in all respects. With a lot of

TECH LABS RESULTS AT A GLANCE Excellent Above average Average Below average Poor OUTPUT LEVEL: The left and right channels are matched within millivolts. Slightly higherthe usual, butwith no cause for concern

www.hifichoice.co.uk

THD+N: 0.003 per cent means that distortion is slightlyworse than average, but still very commendable

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz-20kHzis a fair result. The curve is prettyflat and things only begintotakeadive beyond 10kHz

CROSSTALK: 91.2 dB isa measurementthat cannot be faulted, especiallywhenthe compbdnternal construction is factored in

DYNAMIC RANGE: 95.0dBisonly slightly below CD's theoretical limit.

AgoodDAC amongallthat IThardware

g % OneoftwoXLR ^r

audo

# k AES/EBUinput

balanced outputs

\ r

material the USB route is very appealing and musical, it delivers the same quality of timing as the disc and virtually as much detail. This is the best result we've achieved with this approach and quite an ear opener to the possibilities of digital files.

HOW IT COMPARES THERE ARE NOT many products that offer the same feature count that the Cantata Music Centre does, but there are plenty of CD players at and above this price point to consider.

A particular favourite is Rega's Isis, which is also £6,000, yet offers a wholly different perspective on the music. The Cantata doesn't have quite that degree of pure musicality, but distracts you in a different way by exposing more of the character of each instrument, voice and recording technique which is just as compelling.

The nearest direct competitor overall, is Nairn's HDX, which adds a number of features to those offered here, includinga touch screen display and onboard hard drive.

It wins hands down on features, but does not compete with the outright resolving powers of the Cantata.

Silver lining In case it isn't abundantly clear by now, we are pretty much smitten with the Cantata Music Centre. It reveals so much more of the music that we have to wonder how it is achieved. Jeff attempts to answer that question in the Q&A opposite, but in an earlier exchange put it more simply "I suppose I have the worldwide slowdown to thank for giving me the space for design work."

The fact that it looks so good and can bring such high standards to music stored on a hard drive is equally relevant for the modern audio enthusiast. If you really want to hear just how much effort was put into making your favourite albums such an unforgettable experience than make a date with the Cantata. •

Choice OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY

•

• • • •

VALUE FOR MONEY

•

• • • •

BUILD QUALITY

•

• • * •

SPECIFICATIONS

•

• • • •

LIKE: Hearingso much more music, design, ergonomics, display and tremendous flexibility DISLIKE: Transport whine is an issue WESAY:Revealingtoa degree that sets it apart from the competition atway above its price point

OVERALL *

•

*

*

*

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 0 hWChotee

75